A meeting was held today under the chairmanship of D. Karthikeya, Secretary Agriculture-cum-Secretary, State Agricultural Marketing Board, Chandigarh with various Aarthiya/Grain Market Associations of Grain Market, Sector-26, Chandigarh and bidders of e-auctioned fruits and vegetables SCO sites at New Mandi, Sector-39, Chandigarh to discuss issues pertaining to the functioning and infrastructure of the mandis.
The meeting was attended by Rajiv Tewari, Joint Secretary, State Agricultural Marketing Board, Khushpreet, Administrator, Market Committee, Chandigarh, along with other officials of the State Agricultural Marketing Board and Market Committee. During the meeting, representatives of the associations raised various issues including provision of dedicated parking facilities, arrangement of drinking water in the mandi, repair and maintenance of roads, abolition of bank guarantee taken at the time of issuance/modification of licences under Section 10 of the Punjab Agricultural Produce Markets Act, 1961, and enhancement of licence validity from three years to ten years on the pattern of the Punjab Mandi Board.
The Secretary Agriculture heard all the issues in detail and assured the representatives that necessary steps would be taken for early redressal of their grievances. He further emphasized that the Chandigarh Administration remains committed towards improving infrastructure and providing better facilities for traders, commission agents and stakeholders associated with the mandis.